Morning texts from Mom

May 29, 2010



Long day

I feel like my roommates feel weird about me. We get along great, but I get the sense that they think I'm a snob or something. Not because I've been acting snobby, but because I've been going out to hang out with friends (without them) and have been enjoying the city in different ways. Maybe snob isn't the right term. You tell me.

The morning started out with a talk with a gallery owner. He gave us (the class) the inner-workings of his gallery and how he works with artists. It was a strange getting-your-hopes-up kind of situation because he works in a way that no other gallery does. But it was wonderful.

Then we walked over the Brooklyn Bridge! Hayy. It's not as difficult as one would imagine. It was wonderful. We talked, walked, watched.. and it was such a lovely day. I've been hearing Baltimore has been too hot and California too cold. New York is just right :)



We poured into downtown and took a subway back to BK. Ugh. After a 40 minutes ride, we finally got to gallery no. 2, the Proteus Gowanus Gallery. It's tucked away in a really random, sort of ghost-like area. I had to dip early because I had evening plans with Beau and John.

I met them in Hells Kitchen for some Italian. Food, drinks, dessert. We saw the Rothko play "RED" at the Golden Theater. I will keep my opinions to myself.



As we were leaving the theater and heading deeper into Times Square, Beau and John were whispering about the woman in front of us. I had no idea who they thought she was, then she turns around and says, "Let's grab a taxi," and it's Rachel Weisz (Vice). What she was doing in Times Square with her parents (we assume), we will never know.

Out all day from 10:30 am to 11:00 pm. Tired, ready to bring Sunday into Saturday and have a long and relaxing weekend. Happy Memorial Day everyone. It's Fleet Week in New York, let's get me a sailor. Just kidding Dude :)

She knows me too well

May 28, 2010

Tuesdays

May 26, 2010



Beau and I went to a private screening of this film at the Sony Screening Room on Madison that is coming out next week. The theater was really small with couches and gigantic seats that were extra comfy. There were only a dozen people in the room, mostly press. I think that's the only way I ever want to watch a movie! The film was beautiful. I loved the way it moved--never reaching a climax and constantly leaving you on the edge. It's one of those films that leave a lot of the information out and create a general outline, but it's more in the presentation than the story-at-heart, though it's definitely about family and the obligations one feels to family. At least that's what I got from it, far from what the trailer reveals.

After, we went to a V Magazine party somewhere near Columbus Circle. It's so easy to get caught up in New York--free drinks, loud music, good-looking (mostly good-looking) people and parties on Tuesday nights. I don't know if I love it or loathe it, but for now, it's fun.

Awesome and slightly disgustabug

May 25, 2010



Build your own chocolate at Chocomize.com

Surprise!

I'm always the first to wake up in the morning, so I shower, eat breakfast and read from my gigantic book. When I walk out to the common area, it's dark. Obv. So I walked over to the kitchen to turn on the light and notice something on the floor. I didn't have my contacts in yet and get down closer and it's... a DEAD MOUSE! What the heck/how disgustabugs. Jenae (roomie) thinks it ate poison and slowly came to it's death in the middle of the floor. I put a chair on top of the baby and left a note for the roomies since I was going out early to run errands. I do not understand how I didn't step on it when it's in my direct path to the light switch.

Jenae was talking to her boyfriend (who is always dissecting mice because he's a neuro-scientist at Hopkin$) and she mentioned that it was bleeding out of it's butt when she cleaned it up. He said that maybe someone stepped on it/WHAT IF I STEPPED ON IT?!

From Jake, with love

May 23, 2010

The Dude wallpaper



All you ex-The Dude lovers and man crushers should rock The Dude on your desktops.

RideBMX.com

Baby shower!



I came back to Baltimore yester-morning to attend Amie's shower. She looks a-mazing. It was so nice seeing her and being around a bunch of familiar faces. I miss girls.

Back to New York this evening. Ugh, so tired.

I can't put this down



I went to the Met to see the American Woman exhibit (a slight disappointment, but good) and lugged around this giant book so I'd have something to read on the subway. I spent a couple hours in Union Square after, reading and waiting for Whitney to meet me. I can't put it down. I wish it came in volumes, or by chapter, so it'd be easier to carry around.

Whitney and I did some light shopping. Then I had to meet my class in Williamsburg. I honestly with all my heart did not want to go, but I didn't want to be "that girl" or "too cool" to do class activities. It was listed as "optional", but if everyone's going except you, it's kind of not. So I met them there halfway into their trek. One of my teachers was set on getting a drink at 5 in the afternoon, so we found a bar that had free pizza with every drink and had a couple beers.

Friday night was interesting. I met Whitney and Evan for Indian food at a place that is covered in Christmas lights and decorations. When you approach the building, there are four different guys in suits trying to get you to come into their restaurant. They all look the same with the same lights, but Evan said they're all different and owned by four different brothers. I guess it's part of the experience.. getting tugged at from all directions. But. "Top Right".



Then we three went around the hood to go to a bar you need to be on a list for? We waited all night and were at the top of the list, but still, no go. Blah blah blah, here's EB with a douchbaggy glass of beer at the Pretentious Pig. Oh I mean the Bourgeois Pig.

New York, the list version

SUNDAY

Got to New York, moved in

Central Park with Beau



MONDAY

MOMA for the William Kentridge show & Marina Abramovic's on-going performance.
Okay, fuck the list for a sec. Marina Abramovic is a performance artist that mainly uses her body as her tool and is doing an on-going performance since mid-March and will finish May 31. To dumb it down, she sits in a square in MOMA with a chair opposite of her, maybe 8 feet away, and participants are allowed to sit with her for as long as they want, in silence. She will sit everyday, all day the museum is open. In looking at photos of the people that have sat with, I've seen Bjork, James Franco, Allan Rickman (Professor Snape, Harry Potter), Jennifer Carpenter (Deb in Dexter).. among soo many other people, students, critics, mothers, brothers.. and there are at least half a dozen people that go back to her every day.

In 1988, Marina Abramovic and her 13-year partner, lover, and collaborater came to a close in their friendship and relationship, so to end the journey, the each started at opposite ends of The Great Wall of China and after 30+ days, met in the middle. This is one of SO many performances (one including passing out in the middle of a gigantic burning pentagram and letting people carve a pentagram on her stomach), that has to do with pushing one's body and enduring. Endure. The Great Wall piece is so fucking beautiful, I can't take it. It's such an amazing symbol, metaphor, whatever for such an amazing relationship. It breaks my heart.

For all of you Sex and the City watchers, in Season 6, Alexsandr Patrovski takes Carrie to a gallery in the middle of the night where there is a woman sitting for two weeks (or something) without food. That is not Marina Abramovic in the flesh, but is based off one of the pieces entitled The House with the Ocean View.

It's weird because you read and study artists' work for years and years, but I have never been in the present for someone of Marina Abramovic's caliber. Sitting for half an hour, just watching her watch someone else was so.. something. Anyways, you can read her new biography. Back to the list.

Went to Julliard to watch Sean's recital.

2-hour girl talk with my new roomies.


TUESDAY

Rain, rain, go away.

Pearl Paint in the rain rain.

William Kentridge film at the studios with class.

Pizza party.

Misery.

David Barton gym.
Alright, breaking away from the list again. Went to the most amazing gym. Someone recently described it as a Castle, but it's in an old building and is filled with dim lights. I don't know what's so amazing about it, maybe it's the ambience of loud techno and the darkness. Want to know where all the cute guys are? Yep, except they're ALL gay. ALL. Beau said Anderson Cooper goes to that gym, so I'm creepily waiting for the day to jump on him while he's on the tread.

Chinese food and a movie with Beau.

Slumber party.


WEDNESDAY

Woke up with Beau and went to 7am spinning.

My place, shower, breakfast, none of my roommates are awake.

Leave for the Strand Bookstore.

Lunch and groceries at Whole Foods.

A glee club in Union Square.



Took roomie to get her nipple pierced by Evan at Adorned.

Whit came by with a fluffy dog.

Mood.

Subway mime?



Does this American Apparel mannequin look like me?



Went to HP Garcia Gallery in midtown to hear Mina Cheon speak. Brilliance.



Times Square at night. Cheese.

Olive Garden. Cheese. Disappointing. Never going back.


THURSDAY

Matthew Barney's Cremaster Cycle's 4 & 5 at the IFC.

Chelsea ALL day.

All day.

Shake Shack with Beau and Tony for dinner.

A tip for all you ladies:

May 13, 2010

WRITE DOWN THE NAME AND NUMBERS OF ALL YOUR MAKE UP AND KEEP IT SAFE.

Silly me, I lost my travel toiletries and my make up bag in a cab somewhere. So, I had to get a new set of My Face. Needless to say, it was a pain in the butt trying to match/remember every color on my skin. Although, since I don't wear a lot of make up (or don't wear it often), it was fun shopping for new goods.

But if I were to give you any advice, I'd strongly urge you to write down exactly what you wear. Even if you use Rite-Aid/CVS stuff, write it down. I spent an hour at the Clinique counter trying to determine whether my skin looked too orange with this powder, or if the blush was the right shade of pink that I love. Thank goodness they had everything that I needed.

I guess if you aren't too picky about what goes on your face or don't wear a second face at all this doesn't apply, but I can't stress enough the important of good quality make up and soap and moisturizer... etc. It's girly, whatever. It's your face and your only face. It's what people see the most, it is your first impression. Anti-eye wrinkle cream at 22 isn't loco. Washing your face with hot water, then splashing it with cold when you're done is to keep it safe. Toner, moisturizer, night cream.. all necessary to stay looking healthy and not like a shiny, red-faced dirtball. I can do a whole post on hygiene and maintenance, but I won't.

So.. we're at Nordstroms.. and I can't help but walk around.. right? Right. Shoes.. eh. I have enough/what I need for now.. clothes.. eh. Oh wait, I love that dress. $. Then I remember I need a new scent, since my Ibiza Hippie is out and out of print. Don't like floral, don't like smelling like a forest.. then the new Balenciaga Paris scent. Heaven. $. Then. I walk over to the bags. To make a long story short: $.

Gordo's

May 11, 2010

Maialino at Gramercy Park.

We started the night with a glass of Prosecco.


First course: Buffalo mozzarella that are raised on grass (not corn, like most livestock are nowadays) and prosciutto and other sliced, really amazing organic meats. White wine pairing (that was my favorite wine of the night).


Second course: On the left is a sweet bread salad with snap peas and a mint-ish vinaigrette. I had no clue what sweet bread was, but Chad explained that it is the thymus of a baby lamb. Yep. Then on the right is tripe in a red sauce. Tripe is the stomach of a farm animal. But these were also probably organic.. so that makes it okay? Or better? I don't know. Red.


Third course: A clam sauce, pretty basic. Over by Chad is hand-torn pasta in some sauce, I can't remember. And in the middle is a YUMMY ravioli-type thing. The way you eat it is you break it open and a gooey yolk runs out, emulsifying with the filling inside, creating the must succulent thing I have ever eaten. Delish. A red was brought out for this course that was made by some dude who's really picky about what grapes he chooses or something. There was a story to every bottle.


After the third course I went up to pee and definitely felt all the wine. Not to mention the plush pillows that were at the table that made you sinkkk into the meal.


Fourth course: In front of me is chicken, the most juicy chicken. Then there's parmesan roasted asparagus topped with a fried egg, which I can make no problem, but it was nice. Sugar snap peas cut on a bias (for whatever reason, maybe it's prettier) with bacon. Of course. Then Chad has a 6-hour roasted lamb topped with a scallion-family vegetable that's only available three weeks out of the year, on top of yummy yummy potatoes.


We are happy.


Fifth and final course: Oh dessert. Oh Chef Jason. Ohhhh. Clockwise, a blueberry tart with a cornmeal crust. Sweet cream affogato, which was my favorite because it's so simple. It's basically espresso poured over vanilla ice cream, but this ice cream was minus the vanilla. Near me is a gigantic chocolate truffle made with dark chocolate ice cream, rolled in chocolate shavings. And inside was a brandy soaked something, a cherry? Can't remember. The last one was Chad's favorite. A vanilla ricotta custard. It was absolutely amazing. Imagine the best vanilla ice cream without the pains of it being cold. Custard, smooth, like a cloud. Anddd rhubarb with the custard.

Chef Jason hooked Chad up because it was my first time eating there. It was seriously an amazing experience I would never have had if it weren't for Chad. I felt like a king.

Stocked

Saturdays

May 09, 2010

Saturday was a much needed personal day. Did some shopping and went to the Asian grocery store, which was also much needed because I miss home (California, not The Motherland.. especially because I've never been to The Motherland) and I needed Korean food. I bought a cart load of food and the total always comes out much lower than expected, which is always a nice surprise.

Beau and John came over for dinner and brought Francis Ford Coppola wine and chocolates given to Andre by Whoopi Goldberg from the Manhattan Fruitier. The chocolate is shaped like little mice!





I made Thai food: mushroom and leek spring rolls with a peanuty dipping sauce and tofu masaman (curry). I don't have pictures of anything, but I also made a chocolate mousse and crumbled in the snickerdoodles I made the night before.. yeah.. Haha. The Dude loves chocolate mousse and I promised to make him some. We finished the night with watching the SATC Movie on mute and endlessly mocking the happenings on the screen.

Loveddd.

Why Don't You Love Me

May 08, 2010

One day my backyard will look like this



TGIF

I am officially done with this semester! End of semesters are always bittersweet. I am stoked that the papers and final projects are out of the way, yet I'm sad to see them go. I can go to school forever, but not really. To celebrate, The Dude bought me dinner at Mekong Delta and Oliver thought it'd be nice to go to Crabtown for after food festivities.





After Crabtown Matt, The Dude, and I rode the bicycles. We got ice cream and stopped by Hampden to see more boys. I am exhausted. But you know what? I haven't a care in the world!

[cue Alice Cooper]

Portraits

I haven't done any "real" drawing of sorts for quite some time, so I thought I'd draw The Dude. I was honestly surprised at how well I did for the first try.



And thenn he drew me.



Thanks.....

Very hot days & icy cold coffee

May 07, 2010

Hi Kate

May 04, 2010

You're looking very 98 today.

Here are phone pictures of 1/2 the bread I made

May 03, 2010

This is already loaf No. 2



So, you can score the top of the bread before you bake it so the steam can come out. Instead, I leave it alone and let it explode at the sides. I love the smooth smooth top and the exploded bottoms. Sooo pretty :)

Class

The Clipse at Shop Gentei

Listen here. We all know this song:




This is what $32,000 in gold and diamonds looks like:




And this is what 32G's looks like on a Korean girl:



Ya hear?

To me, a productive Saturday

May 02, 2010

Yester-morning I spent an hour at the gym. Got home and made maple-pecan bars because The Dude has been on a "maple + pecan" kick lately. It's the weekend, I figure a little splurge on dessert wouldn't hurt nobody. For dinner I planned on making a red sauce with veggies and some white wine but had no crusty French bread. Instead of going to Eddie's and buying a baguette I thought, "Hm, I have yeast and flour.. I'll make my own." I pulled out a recipe I had and went for it.

What people don't know is that bread making is SO easy. I made a cinnamon raisin swirl loaf last week for The Dude's mom and I'm constantly making my banana bread for people (though that's not really bread in the sense that it doesn't call for yeast). Though, for some reason making French bread sounds scary.

So I did it. Of course, I added whole-wheat flour and produced two beautiful loaves of crusty bread. I don't know why I didn't take photos of any of it. It was probably because while I was being this domestic goddess I was also trying to write a paper. But it's not the last time I will make bread. There's something so satisfying about homemade bread.

Beau came over as I finished the bread and we had a glass of wine and caught up. I gave him half the batch of the maple-pecan bars because there is no way I am keeping 30 bars in my home or letting The Dude eat all of them. Alex also stopped by, which was a nice surprise.

Dinner was really yummy. I haven't made "regular" pasta in a long time. I made cheesy bread with my homemade bread and had that wonderfully crimson wine-y sauce with linguine.

To me, a productive Saturday.. though I missed seeing the love of my life's band play, I got Paper 1/3 done and I feel alright.

Darling Beau



Beau came over yesterday (yay) and asked if I looked at Page 70 in my newest Vogue (with SJP on the cover). Yayy for Beau.

"I've dreamed of being on this page ever since I was a little girl!"

Beau Sam Official